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Upon acquisition of the four area bus companies in 1973, WMATA adopted, with minor exceptions, the then existing fare structures. In March and April of 1975, seven public hearings were held on a unified fare structure (Docket No. 875-2).

Following a review and analysis of testimony presented at the hearings, the Board of Directors adopted a new fare structure to be effective September 1, 1975. The adopted system is a simplified zone fare structure with a peak/off-peak differential. An off-peak fare for senior citizens and handicapped of one-half or less of the corresponding peak hour fare was established.

The fares and zones are shown on the table and maps on pages 12 through 14.

Ridership and Service

The use of public bus transportation has declined at a rather steady rate throughout the Washington metropolitan area since the end of World War II, despite the rapid growth in urban population. The number of residents in the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) has virtually doubled since 1950, increasing from about 1.5 million in 1950 to nearly 2.9 million in 1970, according to the national population census. Use of bus transit, on the other hand, has decreased from about 678,000 daily riders at the time of the 1948 home interview origin-destination survey to approximately 435,000 daily riders in 1972. The approximately 438,000 daily riders in 1973 and the increase in the 1974 ridership indicate a reversal of this downward trend. The annual trend in revenue passengers carried on public transit in the Washington area is:

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WMATA operates incidental charter service within the Zone and for a distance of 250 miles from Zero Milestone. No transit buses are specifically assigned to charter service. Charter revenues are used to reduce operating deficits.

Within the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Zone, limited open-door bus transit service is provided by Greyhound Bus Lines, 1/Actual for the first 52 weeks of WMATA ownership

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1/ Peak hours are from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

2/ Off-peak hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.; also, all day on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays

Transfer Regulations

Transfers are issued upon request at time fare is paid in accordance with tariff provisions for one continuous ride requiring the use of different routes. The passenger must present the transfer at intersection of two routes, point of divergence, point of convergence, turn-back, or walking transfer point, between the routes involved on the day issued and within the indicated time limit.

Transfer is not valid for stopover or return trip on same

or other routes. A transfer is not transferable.

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Continental Trailways and WMA Interstate Motor Lines, Inc., pursuant to certificates issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

All other bus companies operating in the Washington metropolitan area provide charter and sightseeing services.

IV. METRORAIL

General

The Adopted Regional System was adopted in March 1968, revised in February 1969 and in June 1970, and was authorized by Congress in December 1969. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held at the Judiciary Square Station on December 9, 1969 and, thus, construction of the system was officially underway.

This system will provide 38.3 miles of transit service in the District of Columbia; 29.4 miles in Maryland, and 30.3 miles in Virginia.

The system will have 86 stations, including 53 underground. Forty-three stations will be located in the District of Columbia, twenty-two in Maryland, and twenty-one in Virginia. All stations will be equipped with escalators to provide service to and from street to the mezzanine and to the platform level. All stations will also be equipped with elevators to accommodate the handicapped.

On March 6, 1975, the Board approved, subject to the availability of funding, a three-mile extension to the vicinity of Shady Grove Road in Montgomery County, Maryland.

It is expected that Metrorail and Metrobus will serve 455,500,000 riders per year by 1990, and will connect areas of residential density with areas of concentrated employment, both those existing and those which are projected to develop in the future.

As a part of a fully coordinated transportation system, Metrorail will have ample parking, bus and automobile access. Parking facilities will have capacity ranging from 100 to 3,000 cars with a system total of approximately 29,300 spaces. An extensive Metrobus feeder system will provide frequent convenient service to Metrorail stations from all stations of the region including those currently not served by buses.

Upon completion of the full 98-mile system, service will be provided with a two-minute rush-hour headway on main routes and four-minute headways on branch lines. Metrorail will operate daily from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Proposed Metrorail Fare Structure

As a result of the public hearings held in March and April, 1975 a committee of the WMATA Board of Directors has proposed a Metrorail

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